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Pastor's Pen
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Memorization
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Thank you
for visiting.
Please send spiritual
comments to
Pastor's Pen
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Please e-mail all
other comments
to
WindJammer
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Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
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| Question:
Is it wrong to be proud of the fact that I am a member of the United
States
Military? Is it wrong to be proud of a job well done? Is it wrong to
be
proud to be an American? Is it wrong to be proud of my son when he
does
well at what he does? None of these are personal issues that I have
accomplished on my own. I figured that if you gave glory to God for
gracing
you with all of the above then how would it be priding in yourself?
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Response:
I believe you have answered your own question when you state "I figured
that if you gave glory to God for gracing you with all of the above then
how would it be priding in yourself?". There is a big difference
between swaggering into a room wearing your uniform and expecting
everyone to gush all over you, and telling people that you praise God
for giving you the opportunity to serve in the military. It is one
thing to give God thanks and praise for blessing you with a talented
son, and another thing to stand up and yell "That's my boy!" in an
attempt to take the focus off of both him and God, and place it on
yourself. As far as being an American is concerned, we have nothing to
be proud of there. God chose the nationality of my birth. I surely
thank Him for His choice, but it was His choice. The Bible tells us
that whatever our hands find to do, we are to do it with all our might
(Ecc 9:10). When we have done a good job, all we are is obedient
servants who have used the talents that God gave us in the situation
that God put us in to bring Him glory. Remember what Christ said in
Luke 17:10: "So likewise ye, when ye have done all those things which
are commanded of you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done
that which was our duty to do."
Part of the problem here stems from our use of the word "Pride". What
you are talking about (I believe) is not pride: it is gratefulness.
Thank God for my country, my job, my son, my talents. As long as the
focus, and the Receiver of the glory, is God, then there is no problem.
When the focus turns away from God towards me, then it is Biblical
pride, and it is a sin. God said, "I am the Lord, that is My name, and
My glory will I not give to another" (Isaiah 42:8). Any glory I take
for myself I steal from Him.
May the Lord bless you. And, by the way, thanks for your service to
this country. All too often we forget to say it.
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By Dr Mark Montgomery
Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
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